


Life with the Lightyears

by jessiejanelightyear



Category: Toy Story Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-26 09:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2647598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessiejanelightyear/pseuds/jessiejanelightyear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of one-shots featuring scenes in the everyday life of Buzz and Jessie. Most will be as toys; there may be the occasional human AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Surprises

“I’m just going to throw these out,” Mrs. Anderson said, as she picked up the tiny pair of piercing earrings that were sitting on Bonnie’s nightstand.  “You’ll never wear them again.”

The little girl, who had only recently gotten her ears pierced, sat on her bed holding a mirror, admiring the new dangly earrings she now wore.  Her mother had finally taken out the starter pair and let Bonnie model the colorful baubles she had been dreaming of.   

“No, Mom, don’t!” she pleaded.  “I’ll do something with them.”

“You’ll lose them by tomorrow anyway,” Mrs. Anderson teased, tousling her daughter’s hair before turning to leave.  “Five more minutes of staring at yourself, and then we need to head to Grandma’s for dinner, Trouble.”  

Unbeknownst to Bonnie, Buzz had been listening to the conversation from his vantage point on the bed.  His owner had set him down next to her when her mother came in, and he had silently observed as the silver posts with sparkling clear stones had been removed from the young girl’s ears and laid aside.  At the sight of them on the nightstand, his heart skipped a beat.  They were perfect.

Bonnie didn’t think to choose any toys to take with her; she was most excited about showing off her new jewelry.  With one more glance she set the mirror down, then hopped off of the bed and walked to the bedroom door.

“Bye toys, be good!”

As soon as the coast was clear, Buzz sprang into action.  He crept stealthily over to the nightstand and grabbed the earrings, concealing them in his hand.   Confident that his movements had gone unnoticed, the space ranger dropped to the floor and stopped in his tracks when he unexpectedly found himself face-to-face with Woody.

“Whatcha got there?” the cowboy smirked.  He had been watching all along, and Buzz’s odd behavior could only mean one thing:  Jessie.

Buzz immediately shoved the hand holding the earrings behind his back.  “N-nothing.” 

His friend raised an eyebrow incredulously. 

“It’s a surprise for Jessie,” the space ranger confessed in a whisper.  “Just don’t let her look for me for a while, okay?”

“I’ll try, pardner,” Woody chuckled.  “But you know I can’t control her any better than you can, once she’s got her mind made up.” 

“Thanks, cowboy.”  The space ranger saluted his friend and darted out of the bedroom and down the hallway, his treasure firmly in his grasp.

 _'Tools, where would I find tools?’_   wondered Buzz.   His first instinct was the kitchen.  The space ranger set the earrings down and scaled the cabinets, then bent over the edge of the countertop to open the junk drawer.  As he rifled through its contents, his face fell.  ‘ _Blast, not what I need.’_

Buzz returned to the floor and retrieved the earrings, then scanned the surrounding area.  ‘ _Where else?’_   Not finding anything useful in the kitchen, he stole back down the hall and into the spare bedroom, hoping to collect his thoughts in a space where Jessie was less likely to look for him.  The instant as he entered the room, his focus was drawn to the bookcase where Mrs. Anderson kept her craft supplies.  There, near the top, he spotted exactly the tools he was hunting for.

The space ranger climbed the bookshelf like a ladder, holding the earrings between his teeth.  He pulled a pair of needle-nosed pliers and a metal file out of a basket, rearranged some ribbon spools to make a place to sit, and immediately got to work.

It was a delicate task.  The earrings were small, and the pliers were unwieldy even for a strong and dexterous toy such as himself.  Nothing was deterring him, however.  Although Buzz only needed one earring for his intended purpose, he had brought both along just in case he made a mistake.  This was too important to take any chances.

An hour later, Buzz had finished the shiny piece of metal to his satisfaction, filing off its sharp point and bending it into the correct shape and size.  He held it between his fingers, congratulating himself on his expert handiwork – then the realization hit him.  Buzz Lightyear was not, by nature, impulsive.  He had rushed to claim the earrings, and rushed to create his vision, but he had not planned the rest of the scenario out sufficiently for his comfort.  The space ranger’s mouth went dry and his mind raced as he tried to figure out how he would ever manage to give this gift to his girl without losing his nerve.

Before he could waste much time in panic, Buzz heard Jessie’s voice in the hallway.  He hastily shoved the pliers and file into their basket, throwing the spare earring in as well.  Clutching the precious item he had just made, the space ranger slid down the edge of the bookcase and landed quietly on the floor.   He tiptoed to the door and cautiously pushed it open, only to meet the cowgirl abruptly on the other side.

“There ya are!  I was gettin’ worried.  Whatcha been doin’ in here?”

“I was… um… looking for… tape… TAPE!  Tape to fix Bonnie’s spaceship.  Yeah.  Tape.”

Her eyebrows furrowed.  Something seemed amiss.  Buzz never kept anything from her, and it had been over a year since he’d acted awkward when they were together.  Not to mention he wasn’t carrying any tape.

“Did ya forget something?” she asked.

“Oh!  The tape.  I couldn’t f-find any.”  Buzz could see the concern in his girlfriend’s eyes, and his anxiety lessened with the necessity to make her feel at ease.  He clasped her hand with his empty one.  “I’m sorry, you just startled me.  I should have told you where I was going.” 

“S’okay, you can make it up to me tonight, after Bonnie goes to bed,” she replied with a wink.   “Whadd’ya wanna do until she gets home?”

Buzz thought for a moment.  “Let me go tell Totoro I couldn’t find any tape, and I’ll meet you in the living room.  We can watch some TV.”  He gave her a quick kiss.  “Five minutes.”

Buzz hurried back to Bonnie’s room in search of Woody.  When he caught the cowboy’s eye, he called him over to an unoccupied corner. 

Assuming Buzz was angry that Jessie had tracked him down, Woody began to defend himself.  “Look, I tried to get her to stay in here, but she was determined—”

“I need you to hold this for me, for later,” the space ranger interrupted, slipping the tiny metal object he had crafted into Woody’s hand. 

The cowboy stared at it, dumbfounded, then looked back up at his friend with wide eyes.  “Buzz, are you—“

“Shhh, just put it in your pocket, please?” he begged.  “I’ll get it from you after Bonnie goes to sleep.”

“You got it, buddy.”  Woody stashed the item securely away and patted his friend on the shoulder.

With an appreciative smile, Buzz turned and headed down the hallway to join Jessie.

* * *

Hours later, Bonnie had drifted off to sleep.  Buzz, however, was wide awake, sitting on the chair where the little girl had left him at bedtime.  He was gazing out the window at the night sky, lost in contemplation. 

“Hey you.” 

The space ranger flinched in surprise at Jessie’s voice, and jumped off of the chair to greet his girl properly.  “Hey!  Want to go outside?  It looks like a nice night.” 

“Sure.”  She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.  “It’s plenty private out there.”  

Buzz rested his hands on her waist and returned the kiss.  “Go on ahead, I’ll catch up.  I just have to take care of something in here really quick.”

The cowgirl tilted her head quizzically but decided not to question him.  “Don’t be long, ‘kay?”  She sprinted out of the bedroom, in the direction of the kitchen with its pet door leading out to the yard.    

Buzz rushed over to the side of the bed.  “Psst, Woody, you awake?”  There was no answer.  Just as the space ranger was about to shimmy up the comforter in his impatience, his friend’s face peeked out from on top of the mattress. 

“Looking for this?”  The cowboy tossed the contents of his pocket down to Buzz. 

The space ranger nodded and caught his girlfriend’s gift effortlessly, in spite of the apprehension evident in his eyes.  Woody offered a thumbs-up of encouragement and Buzz took a deep breath, then followed Jessie’s path outside.

* * *

“Buzz, over here!”

Jessie leaned out from behind a large tree, in a secluded corner of the yard, hidden from the view of the family.  She had thought enough in advance to take a dish towel from the kitchen drawer before going outside, and had spread it on the grass for them to lie on.

It was a cool, starry summer night, and the sweet smell of roses blooming along the fence nearby filled the air.  The space ranger jogged over to join his cowgirl and they both reclined on the towel.

Jessie cuddled against Buzz’s shoulder.  Buzz, however, fidgeted uncomfortably.   His left forearm and tightly-clenched fist rested on his stomach, instead of embracing Jessie as usual, and she couldn’t help but notice. 

“What’s with your hand?  Did ya hurt it?”

 _'Oh boy.  This is it.’_   The space ranger’s heart felt as if it would pound right out of his chest _.  ‘Here goes…’_

“I… uh… actually, I have something for you.”  Buzz sat up slowly, and Jessie followed suit.

“Really?  What is it?  Is that what you were all sneakin’ around about today?”  She reached for her boyfriend’s hand and tried unsuccessfully to pry it open.  “Lemme see!”

He extended his fingers, revealing a perfect little “diamond” solitaire ring resting in his palm.

“Oh, Buzz!”

“I… I know we’re toys… b-but I love you, Jessie.  I’ve wanted to give you a ring for a long time, and when Bonnie didn’t need her earrings anymore… I just thought… if we can ever find a way… would you m-marry me?”

Jessie’s face shone with love for the space toy in front of her.  “You bet yer boots I will!” she exclaimed.  “Are ya gonna put it on me or what?”

Buzz beamed at her response.  He hadn’t doubted her love for him; but marriage between toys didn’t happen very often.  What if she had thought it a foolish notion?  Thankfully, she hadn’t.  Now, he proudly placed the glimmering jewel on her left ring finger, and was relieved to find it was as precise a fit as could be expected.  All the hours spent studying the lines of her slender fingers, when her hand was in his, had paid off.

Jessie was enchanted by her new ring sparkling in the moonlight, and the couple basked in the joy of the promise and meaning it signified.  Suddenly, disappointment clouded the cowgirl’s features.  “Wait… what are we gonna do about Bonnie?  I can’t wear this… if she sees it—“

“You know what?  I don’t even care.”  Buzz smiled lovingly at his now-fiancée, and cupped her face tenderly in his hand.  “Let her see it; she’ll come up with some creative explanation,” he laughed.  “You’re never taking it off, space ranger orders.”

“Oh yeah?  What other orders d’ya have for me, captain?” she purred, bringing their faces closer together.

“Mmm, I can think of a few,” he spoke breathily, as she pulled him down on top of her on the towel.

* * *

“Mom, have you seen my pointy earrings?  I wanna put ‘em on Dolly.”

Bonnie was searching on her nightstand, on the floor beneath and near it, and even in her bed sheets, for the piercing studs she had taken off the day before, but they were nowhere to be found.

“I haven’t seen them, sweetie,” her mother called from the living room. 

After a few more minutes, the little girl gave up.  “Oh well, I guess I can use stickers,” she reasoned, failing to notice the rag doll sigh in relief of not having her felt punctured.

Once Bonnie had successfully adorned Dolly with creative sticker accessories, she moved on to her other toys.  As she picked up Jessie, a glint of light caught the little girl’s eye, and she examined the cowgirl doll’s left hand, puzzled.  “That looks like my earring, but it’s a ring now,” she pondered out loud.  “Did you always have that, Jessie?  Or did your _boyfriend Buzz_ propose to you last night?”  She held the space ranger up alongside the cowgirl.  “You stole my earrings and made her that ring, didn’t you?”  She made the space toy nod.  “I knew it!”  Bonnie twirled around with them both in her arms, giggling merrily.   “Well, we’ll have to plan a big wedding!  You wait here.”  She set the couple carefully on her bed, wrapping Buzz’s arm around Jessie, then took off running down the hall.  “Mom!  Can I have some fabric?”     

Buzz and Jessie looked at each other and grinned, then snuggled down into the pillow to wait for their owner’s return.  The two toys didn’t quite know what they’d gotten themselves into, but somehow, they didn’t mind one bit. 


	2. Eye Spy

“I’m so happy to meet our new neighbors!”   

Buzz and Jessie sat on their living room sofa, with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head situated next to them.   The cowgirl smiled warmly at the visiting spuds.  “It was awful nice of you to stop by and say hello.”

Mrs. Potato Head leaned secretively toward the seated couple and spoke in a whisper.  “There is something you should know.  Be careful of the purple-haired one living next door.  She’s a dangerous witch!”

“You better be in bed already, Trouble!”  Mrs. Anderson called from the kitchen, bringing Bonnie back from her imaginary world. 

“Okay, mom,” the little girl sighed in reply.  She grabbed both of the Potato Heads and closed the dollhouse, leaving Buzz and Jessie in their toy home for the night.  She didn’t realize, however, that in her haste she had bumped Mr. Potato Head against the edge of the roof, causing one of his eyes to fall out and land in an upstairs room.

Bonnie set the two potatoes on her table and slipped into bed alongside Woody, Dolly, Mr. Pricklepants, and Buttercup.  In the soft, soothing glow cast by her nightlight, the child soon drifted off to sleep. 

Once he was certain the coast was clear, Mr. Potato Head came to life.  “I’m gonna go get my eye,” he told his wife.  He hopped down from the table and took a few steps toward the dollhouse, only to stop suddenly and turn on his heels.

“Nevermind.”

* * *

Buzz and Jessie had just climbed the stairs and entered their bedroom, where the lost eye lay on the floor, obscured by the darkness.  Jessie walked over to the window; and as she closed the curtains, Buzz crept up behind her, brushing her braid to the side and slowly, sensually trailing kisses along her neck.  The cowgirl inhaled sharply at the sensation and twisted in his grasp, grinning seductively at him.

“You lookin’ for somethin’?”

Buzz answered wordlessly, cupping Jessie’s face in his hands as he kissed her with building passion, her hands resting on his hips, drawing him closer to her.

* * *

“Why don’t you just knock on the door?  They’ll hand it to you,” Mrs. Potato Head suggested, now on the floor herself.

“Because I’m not interrupting _._ ”

“Interrupting what?” she asked.

“Buzz trying to get some.  Ugh.  Why do they gotta be so disgusting?”

“I think they’re adorable.  Besides, they don’t think anyone is watching.  You can get your eye back in the morning.  Let’s go watch a movie.”

“With one eye?  Eh, whatever.”

The spud couple checked on their alien sons—who were fast asleep along with the peas—and made their way to Bonnie’s bedroom door, when Mr. Potato Head once again halted.  

* * *

Back in the dollhouse, the misplaced eye widened.  Buzz’s hands traveled south and the space ranger lifted his cowgirl bridal style, carrying her to the bed, while Jessie’s arms snaked around his neck as their kisses maintained their intensity.  He laid her gently on the toy-sized double bed, and Jessie’s hand immediately reached for the collar of his space suit, pulling him down on top of her.

* * *

“Wait a minute.  It’s getting better.  The Lightyears are definitely gonna get busy.”

His statement was easily heard by the rest of the toys in the otherwise-silent room.  One by one, they approached the potatoes on the floor by the wicker toybox, their curiosity piqued.

“You can _see_ them?”  Hamm questioned. 

“Yeah, I can see them; my eye’s in there.   It’s dark, but Buzz’s glowing.” 

Trixie was intrigued.  “How much can you see?”

“Enough,” he smirked. 

“Now, you give them their privacy!” Mrs. Potato Head scolded.  “You wouldn’t want someone spying on us, would you?”

“I don’t care,” her husband shrugged.  “I ain’t got no secrets.  So, who wants a play-by-play?”

“Count me in!”  exclaimed Trixie.   

“I’m not comfortable with this,” Rex whined, wringing his hands.  “They’ll be so embarrassed!  And mad!”

“Can it, geekosaur,” Mr. Potato Head snapped.  “Go play a video game if you’re not interested.”

By now the toys on Bonnie’s bed had climbed down and joined the audience that was forming around the one-eyed spud—that is, all except one.

“Come on, Potato Head, can’t you just close your eye and mind your own business?” Woody pleaded.  “That’s my sister and best friend in there.  I don’t wanna hear it either.”

“Then cover your ears, sheriff,” retorted the male potato.  “You’re outnumbered.”

“Will somebody please cover _my_ ears?” Rex panicked.  “My little arms won’t reach!”

The toys tightened their circle around the spying spud as his commentary began.  Woody stood sullenly at the edge of the crowd, lingering nearby only to prevent things from getting too far out of hand. 

“Here we go.  He’s got her hat.  Whoa!”  Mr. Potato Head’s rogue eye squinted shut as Buzz unwittingly tossed Jessie’s hat towards it.  The hat made contact and sent the eye rolling a few inches away.  “That was close.  I almost lost my view!”

“Oh darn,” Woody muttered. 

Mr. Potato Head resumed, ignoring the cowboy’s sarcasm.  “Smooth.  He just undid her hair in like a second.  That’s a lot of yarn.”

“I’m guessing he’s had plenty of practice,” Dolly snickered.

“Looks like they’re kissing again.  It’s hard to see past that big spacesuit.  Wait a minute… they’re moving… oh HELLO!  I didn’t think ol’ Buzzy Boy had it in him!  Not shy anymore, are we?”

“Wait, wait, WAIT!”  Woody lunged at the gathered toys and threw his hands up in protest.  “No graphic details, okay?  Show some respect, Potato Head.  Besides, you’re traumatizing Rex.”  The dinosaur was now hiding behind the cowboy, his tiny hands clenched in apprehension.

“Party pooper,” Mr. Potato Head scoffed and rolled his eye. 

“So are his wings out yet?” questioned Hamm.

“Not yet.” 

“I’m timing ‘em.”  The piggy bank turned to face the little clock on Bonnie’s nightstand.  “I give him two minutes ‘til full wingboner.”

Mrs. Potato Head gasped in shock.  “Hamm!  Shame on you!”

“Like we didn’t know what it meant when he couldn’t keep those bad boys in check back at Andy’s.”

Those who had been present for Jessie’s earliest days with their former owner chuckled at the memory of Buzz’s awkwardness around the cowgirl.  Slinky met Woody’s critical gaze, and the toy dog hung his head and tucked his tail at his old friend’s disapproval.    

The toys waited quietly as Hamm watched the ticking second hand on the alarm clock, announcing as the seconds, then minutes, passed.

“Thirty seconds… one minute… one and a half… two… two and—” 

“There go the wings!”  Mr. Potato Head interrupted.  “Lookit ‘em flash!”

Buttercup let out a low wolf whistle.  “Get it, space ranger!”

As laughter roared through the group, the peeping potato held up a hand to hush them.  “Hold on… Jessie’s got him flipped over now.”

“That girl is freakishly strong,” Hamm noted.

“How can she do that with his wings open?” wondered Trixie.  “Impressive.”

“Well, I didn’t know a pullstring was used like _that_ ,” Mr. Potato Head observed.  “Or buttons—”

“I’m outta here!”  Knowing his battle was lost, and already having heard more than he ever wanted to, Woody stormed away and quickly scaled the side of his owner’s bed.

“Wait for me, Woody!”  Rex ran after him.  The toy dinosaur ducked beneath the bed while Woody buried his head under Bonnie’s spare pillow, desperate to drown out the details of his closest friends’ intimacies.  Meanwhile, the others’ mirth continued.

“Ride ‘em cowgirl!” Dolly squealed. 

“Living up to her name, huh?” added Trixie, before the two girls burst into a fit of giggles.

As the toys paused for the next update, muffled voices could be heard coming from the dollhouse on the other side of the room—voices that they wouldn’t even had noticed had they not been aware of what was going on inside.

_‘Yodelayheehoo!’_

_‘To infinity and beyond!’_

A knowing and amused expression spread across Mr. Potato Head’s countenance. 

“Okay… show’s over, folks.”

* * *

When Buzz and Jessie emerged from their dollhouse the next morning, after Bonnie had left for school, they were unnerved by the feeling that a room full of eyes was focused on them.   Before they had a chance to figure out what exactly they had missed, Mr. Potato Head strolled toward them, the corners of his plastic mouth upturned mischievously.  

“I think you two have something of mine.”

“No, we don’t,” the space ranger answered, puzzled.

“Yeah, you do.  Go look in your bedroom, lover boy.”

Buzz and Jessie both felt a blush rise on their cheeks and they shared a worried glance.  The cowgirl darted back into the dollhouse and up the stairs into the bedroom, stopping dead in her tracks when she found the missing eye lying in the spot it had rolled to the night before.  As she bent to pick it up, it winked at her, and her own eyes grew wide in horror.

“POTATO HEAD!!!” 

Jessie flew back down the staircase and out the front door, hurtling herself in a rage at the offending spud.   She hit her target with ease, and random parts—including the eye she carried in her hand—scattered across the floor.  After shoving the large plastic form out of her way, she picked up the detached limbs and facial features one at a time, throwing or drop-kicking them around the room and ranting furiously all the while.  Mrs. Potato Head and the aliens scurried to retrieve the pieces as the rest of the toys looked on in dismay, hoping that their willing participation in the spying wouldn’t be revealed.

Mr. Potato Head’s sneering lips were the only part that remained near the dollhouse.  “Aren’t you gonna call off your woman?” he shouted angrily at the space ranger, who was still standing by the front door.

Buzz glared, his arms crossed defiantly.

 “Nope.” 


	3. Once Upon a Dream

The Pride and Lightyear families sat around a large oak table, sharing their evening meal after a busy day’s work on the ranch. Delicate lace curtains fluttered in the open windows of the farmhouse’s simply yet tastefully furnished dining room, Bo Pride’s feminine touches evident throughout. Mature trees that had been planted by Woody and Jessie’s parents decades earlier — to provide shade and shield the spacious wood-frame house from the winds that often swept across the Texas plains — brushed lightly against the siding in the cool spring breeze.

The lady of the house paused from cutting her roast beef, and looked at her husband at the opposite end of the table. 

“You know what next month is, don’t you, Woody?”

The cowboy spoke without glancing up from his plate. “Uh, June?”

Bo rolled her eyes, as she fed a spoonful of mashed potatoes to the babbling baby in the high chair next to her. “You best be teasing me,” she gently chided.

Realizing what his wife was hinting at, Woody smirked. “I can’t think of anything special.”

“Woody Pride you know full well what it is! Now stop it!” she fussed, as her husband chuckled.

“You really think I’d forget our tenth anniversary, Bo?” he smiled warmly. 

“I would hope not,” she winked back. “I was thinking, why don’t we have a party to celebrate? A tin party, with a barn dance.”

“A _tin_ party?” asked Woody. 

“Of course! It’s the thing to do, to celebrate a tenth anniversary. Everyone will bring us tin presents, silly little trinkets. It’ll be delightful to get dressed up and dance with our friends again. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a condition suitable for entertaining.”

“Better have this party quick then, just in case someone else decides to join the family,” Jessie quipped. 

Buzz flashed his brother-in-law a wicked grin. “You _are_ aware of what causes that, aren’t you?”

“Buzz!” Bo gasped in shock. “Don’t speak of such things in front of the children!”

Six pairs of innocent eyes stared at the adults around the table. Ranging in age from nine years to nine months, only one youngster belonged to the Lightyears — a three-year-old boy with fiery red curls and bright blue eyes who his parents lovingly called Junior. The rest were all Prides, blond and fair like their mother, and all but the baby were girls. 

Buzz and Jessie looked at each other, amused. Their modern notions didn’t always sit well with the rest of the family; but then Jessie had never quite fit in. When Buzz arrived from the city and accepted employment as Woody’s deputy, not long after the sheriff and Bo had wed, he had been intrigued by his partner’s free-spirited younger sister. Accustomed to the formality of urban socialites, Buzz fell hard for the red-headed cowgirl who rode astride her saddle in a split skirt and boldly spoke her mind. Where other more traditionally-minded men would have shied away from Jessie’s individuality and independence, forward-thinking Buzz was drawn to it, and it was what he loved best about her. As Woody’s family grew and Buzz and Jessie eventually married, the two men retired from the law and took over management of the ranch from the elder Prides, settling into domestic life. 

After the dishes from dinner had been washed and put away, and the Pride clan was bidden goodnight, the Lightyears strolled down the dusty lane connecting the larger family homestead to the one-story cottage the couple had built at the time of their marriage five years prior. Painted a sunny yellow, with a broad front porch and a profusion of gingerbread trim — a decorative detail Woody had decried as an unnecessary expense for the newlyweds, but which Jessie loved — it was a cozy, cheery retreat for the little family. Moonlight illuminated their path home, and a sleepy Junior gazed at the twinkling stars from his perch on his father’s shoulders. 

As they walked, Buzz noticed his wife was unusually silent. His hands occupied with holding onto Junior, he nudged her with his elbow. “What’s the matter, cowgirl? 

Jessie sighed and linked her arm through her husband’s. “What am I gonna wear to this party, Buzz? You know how I hate gettin’ fancied up.”

“We can go into town tomorrow; maybe we can find you something at the general store.”

“Somethin’ pink and frilly and totally not ‘me’? No thanks. ‘Sides, I’m not wastin’ our money on a dress I’ll only wear once. I guess one of my better calicoes will do,” she conceded. “Although Sunday best ain’t the same as party clothes.”

* * *

The morning sun shone brightly on the farmhouse’s front porch as Jessie and Bo sat mending their husbands’ torn work clothes. The men were tending to the herd, the children merrily chased after tumbleweeds, and the youngest member of the family sat on a blanket on the porch next to the women, making happy noise as he clanged metal cups and spoons together. 

It had been a week since Bo announced her plans for an anniversary celebration – an event that Jessie was still dreading. As her sister-in-law prattled on about food and decorations and the new pale blue dress she was sewing for herself, the cowgirl exhaled sadly.

Bo looked up from her needlework. “Aren’t you excited for the party, Jessie?”

“Oh, sure, it’ll be fun to see everyone, and dance an’ all. It’s just — I don’t have anything to wear.” 

“Nonsense! You have three weeks still. Can’t you whip something up?”

Jessie shook her head. “Ma taught me how to sew for function, not fashion.”

“Well, then, I can sew you a dress.” 

“You gotta finish yours still, Bo, plus the girls’. We’ve got no time to buy fabric and start a new one for me.” Jessie buried her face in her hands and groaned in frustration. “There’s a reason I haven’t gotten gussied up since my weddin’.”

“That’s it!” Bo exclaimed. “Your wedding! You still have your dress, right? If I remember, it was a sweet yellow floral. Perfect for a summer party.”

“Yeah, but the sleeves are big and outta date. I’ll be a laughin’ stock if I show up in that.”

“You get it out of the trunk and bring it to me. You’re the same size as you were five years ago — if you wear your corset.” Bo wouldn’t let her sister-in-law protest. “I insist. It’s the least I can do, for all you help me around here. You’ll look stunning, I promise. Buzz won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

* * *

The day of the anniversary party had finally arrived, and the ranch was a whirlwind of activity. The Prides and Lightyears had been busy since daybreak, putting up decorations and baking delicacies for the evening’s spread. Colorful crepe paper streamers, along with bunches of greenery and wildflowers, spanned the barn, which had been made as neat and clean as possible for the occasion. Paper lanterns had been hung, to be lit at dusk, and temporary wooden platforms to serve as both a dance floor and a small stage had been erected and festooned as well. The kitchen table had been carried to the barn to serve as a buffet, and was arrayed with a colorful cloth, a wildflower bouquet in a tin vase, and tin cups, plates, and utensils for serving. All the while, the adults tried their best to keep the frolicking children from undoing all their hard work. 

When Bo was satisfied that the barn looked as elegant and polished as a barn feasibly could, and with only a couple hours remaining until guests would start to arrive, she summoned the family together. 

“Buzz, you take Junior home and get yourselves dressed; Jessie’s staying here with me.” She addressed her sister-in-law. “Did you bring the things you need?” The cowgirl affirmed she had, and Bo smiled. “Good. You boys come back in an hour. Here, Woody,” she handed the baby off to her husband. “Keep him out of trouble while I get the girls ready.”

“But what about me?” the cowboy whined, his son squirming in his arms. 

“I’m sure you can manage two tasks at once,” she encouraged. “Your suit is laid out in your parents’ room; you can dress in there. Just set him on the floor.” 

The Pride homestead was a flurry of fabric and ribbons and stockings and shoes as six females rushed to prepare for the festivities. Woody and Bo’s four daughters were outfitted in the laciest and ruffliest concoctions Bo could dream up, with huge bows in their ringlet-curled hair, then sent downstairs to their father while Bo and Jessie finished their primping. 

When the two Lightyears returned promptly an hour later, they found Woody struggling to corral his daughters, Bo and Jessie nowhere in sight. 

“Got your hands full there, cowboy?” Buzz kidded, picking up his nephew just as he was beginning to crawl up the stairs in the path of Bo hurrying down. She took the baby from her brother-in-law and thanked him, before throwing a critical glance at Woody, who had already become rather disheveled in dealing with the children’s chaos. 

Then Jessie emerged at the top of the farmhouse steps, fastening the rows of dainty buttons at her wrists. Somehow, Bo had managed to transform an outdated dress into something current yet perfectly suited to Jessie’s lively spirit. The gigantic puffed sleeves that had been the style five years earlier had been narrowed to retain only small poufs at the shoulder. The bodice, which was well-fitted yet softly gathered, was trimmed with white crocheted lace at the collar and whimsical red embroidered swirls across the yoke. Similar red swirls embellished the hem of the full, sweeping skirt, and a wide red ribbon belt tied the look together. Jessie’s signature braid had been coiled into a bun, accented with a yellow bow, yellow and white wildflowers, and a single red rose. 

Buzz stood mesmerized at the sight of his wife descending the stairs, as memories of their wedding day flooded his mind. He loved his “desert flower” just the way she was, but he hadn’t seen her look quite like this in a long time. When she reached the bottom step, he clasped her hands in his, pulled her towards him, and kissed her softly on the cheek.

“Momma, you look pretty!” Junior exclaimed.

“She looks beautiful,” Buzz corrected tenderly, his eyes locked on Jessie’s. 

Jessie grinned and straightened her husband’s linen collar. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Mr. Lightyear,” she purred, sliding her hand down the front of his vest. “And you, sir,” she bent forward to bring herself eye-level with Junior, who appeared quite dapper in his first suit with wide-collared jacket and knee-length knickers, “will be the handsomest little man at the party!”

The moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. Trixie and Dolly, two friends from town, had come to help with last-minute details, and as soon as Bo passed her infant son back to her husband yet again, the four women chatted giddily as they gathered platters of cakes, pies, and doughnuts from the kitchen and proceeded to the barn. Buzz followed, carrying the heavy bowl of punch, while Woody ushered the gaggle of children out the door and hopefully out of everyone’s way. After fidgeting with her arrangements one final time, Bo stood back to admire her handiwork just as the rumble of wagon wheels and horses’ hooves approached outside. 

Soon the barn was alive with lighthearted voices and laughter as old friends and new came together. The women cooed over the Prides’ newest addition — who was bouncing happily in the jumper Woody had rigged from the rafters to keep him occupied — while the men talked about their ranching and farming prospects. Jessie assisted Bo by passing slices of cake and pie out to their guests, on the small tin plates collected specifically for the occasion. As she crossed the room on her way back to the table, a plate was almost knocked from the cowgirl’s hands when a blur of children went speeding past, followed by an aggravated Woody. Bo graciously excused herself, and went to help her husband rein in their offspring. 

“Boys! You give Miss Pride back her ribbon! You hear me?” 

Jessie flinched at the shrill voice of the mother shuffling along behind Bo and screaming at her own three boys – who appeared to be the ringleaders in the children’s commotion – yet tried to place where she had heard it before. However, as soon as the rosy, round-faced woman spotted Jessie, she stopped in her tracks. 

“Well, if it isn’t little Jessamine Pride, all grown up!” she screeched. “You couldn’t have even been 18 yet at your brother’s wedding; now look at you!” The overly-exuberant acquaintance grasped Jessie into a suffocating hug, and the cowgirl gestured to Buzz to come to her rescue. 

“Mrs. Kartoffelkopf, how nice to see ya again.” The Kartoffelkopfs — her husband was an equally-rotund, mustachioed man who was never seen without his bowler hat — had just moved back to town after several years’ absence, with three rambunctious adopted sons in tow. “And it’s Jessie, please; Jessie Lightyear now. This is my husband, Buzz.” 

“I don’t remember ever seeing a family by that name around these parts before.”

“I’m from the city, ma’am,” Buzz politely interjected.

“Oh a modern man, I see,” she smirked at Jessie. “Well, you make a lovely couple, dear. And is this your son?” She glanced down at Junior, who was tugging impatiently at his father’s hand. “Oh, he’s adorable! But mercy me, his hair’s as red as carrots — just like yours, Jessamine!”

“He’s Jessie’s boy, through and through,” chuckled Buzz, before his wife could take offense at the remark. “From his hair to his spunk.” 

Mrs. Kartoffelkopf smiled as Buzz scooped up the little boy and headed towards the nearby refreshment table in search of a sweet treat. “And how are your folks?” she continued.

“Doin’ well,” Jessie replied. “Ma is lovin’ city life at Aunt Bonnie’s, although I reckon Pa is itchin’ to get back to the ranch,” she laughed. “They’ll be home in September.” 

The two women’s conversation was cut short by a whistle from Woody and a wave from Bo across the barn. Jessie apologized to Mrs. Kartoffelkopf and eagerly went to help her sister-in-law take note of the gifts she was beginning to open. Brown-paper-wrapped parcels were unfolded to reveal tin baby carriages, rattles, and cradles — all playful jabs at the Prides’ large family, which elicited much mirth from the crowd and embarrassment from Woody. Diminutive tin figures of sheep and cattle representing their livestock were also uncovered, along with more practical presents of tin baskets and bowls. 

With the last of the gifts noted and set aside, Woody’s lanky rancher friend Slink began warming up his fiddle on the makeshift stage, signaling the start of dancing. Another friend, a pig farmer known by the townsfolk as Hamm, stood next to him to call the steps of the country dances, and soon the barn resonated with spirited music and the sound of boots tapping on the wooden floor. Jessie joined in the merriment, until she noticed Buzz and Junior standing off to the side. She made her way over to them.

“C’mon, dance with me!” she begged her husband, but Buzz refused, his reserve and unfamiliarity with the intricate movements holding him back. She scrunched up her nose, then looked down at her son. “You wanna dance with me, squirt?” Junior nodded enthusiastically, and she swung him up onto her hip and rejoined the action. The little boy squealed with glee as his mother skipped in time with the music and spun him around the floor. 

Before long the music slowed to a soft, lilting waltz. Jessie swayed along, Junior’s tired head resting on her shoulder as she carried him back to the edge of the dance floor. No sooner had she sent her drowsy son to go rest in the hayloft with his cousins, than she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“May I have this dance?”

She turned to see Buzz bowing ever so slightly, his hand extended. Beaming at him, she curtsied and took his hand in hers.

“Yes, you may,” she giggled, feeling much more girly than usual.

Buzz placed his free hand on the small of his wife’s back, and guided her across the floor in a graceful, sweeping motion. He may not have been comfortable with rollicking country dances, but he had learned to waltz when he still lived in the city. 

Recognizing a familiar sensation beneath his fingertips, he leaned in to whisper in Jessie’s ear.

“Are you wearing your corset?” Buzz inquired breathily, tracing the metal boning evident beneath the fabric of her dress.

“Mmmhmm,” she answered, her voice low and sultry. “Jus’ for you.” 

Her husband grinned at her mischievously. “Do you think anyone would notice if we disappeared for a while?” 

“I’m afraid they would. But the party’ll be over soon enough,” she teased.

“Not soon enough for me,” he murmured.

Buzz drew Jessie scandalously close to him in the public setting of the party, and their bodies dared to touch and lips dared to meet in a fleeting kiss before the music swelled and he twirled her around once more. Jessie just laughed, unconcerned with what their friends and neighbors might say about the impropriety of their behavior. She’d worry about that later. Tonight, as always, being a proper lady was the farthest thing from her mind.

* * *

Jessie’s eyes fluttered open and focused fuzzily on the television. The western movie she and Buzz had fallen asleep watching had ended hours ago, and now an infomercial flashed across the screen. 

_'Blast, why did I have to wake up now? It was jus’ gettin’ good!'_ she thought, as she sat up and adjusted her hat, then looked down at her sleeping space ranger. Gently, yet excitedly, she rubbed his shoulder to rouse him. 

“Buzz! Hey Buzz!” He didn’t stir, so she shook him a little harder. “Wake up, Buzzy!”

The space ranger forced himself to waken, as he came slowly out of a deep slumber. “Jessie… what is it?” he asked, half-concerned, half-annoyed. 

“I gotta tell you about my dream!”

“Dream?” he mumbled groggily. “What time is it?”

“I dunno. But listen. I dreamt we were livin’ in the Old West! We were human and married and had a house and everything…”

Buzz, more alert now, sat up next to his girl and listened. He was curious to hear where this was going.

“…Bo was even there. She and Woody were married too, and they had FIVE kids! Can ya imagine Woody with all those kids?” 

They both laughed heartily, because they couldn’t. 

“Uh, what about us?” Buzz questioned, somewhat hesitantly. 

“Us? Oh, we jus’ had one little fella, the spittin’ image of you, but with red hair like mine. Cutest lil’ thing ya ever did see.” Buzz smiled at her answer, relieved, and she continued. “But anyway, it was so funny, Woody and Bo were havin’ a party for their anniversary, and the kids were everywhere causin’ trouble, and Woody was ALL bent outta shape! The Potato Heads were there, too, with their boys; ‘course those three were stinkers.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Buzz chuckled, easily able to imagine his exasperated friend, as well as the Potato Heads’ triplets misbehaving.

“It was nice though, Buzz. You and me, we were dancin’ — waltzin’, like in the movie we watched. I had this long yellow dress — it was my weddin’ dress — that Bo fixed up for me. I was even wearin’ a corset, and you sure liked that a lot — seemed to want it more off’a me than on,” she snickered at the recollection. “Not like I didn’t want a piece’a you in that fancy suit, either. But then I woke up!” 

Buzz raised an eyebrow. “What’s a corset?”

“Well, kinda like old-timey underwear for ladies. Ya laced it up tight, and it made your waist tiny.” She demonstrated as best as she could with the edge of the throw blanket that lay crumpled next to them on the sofa. 

“That’s – w-wow,” he stuttered, eyes wide. “How do you know about that?”

“How d’ya know all about space?” she shrugged, tracing the red button on his chest flirtatiously. “Same way I know Old West stuff.” Jessie leaned closer and began trailing kisses along her space ranger’s neck and jaw, and he was just about to succumb to his girlfriend’s advances when he realized the first golden rays of dawn were breaking outside the living room window. Reluctantly, he pulled away.

“As much as I _really_ hate to say it, we need to get back,” Buzz reasoned. Jessie pouted, disappointed, and he closed the distance between them. What was supposed to be only a quick kiss gained intensity until the space ranger had to will himself to stop. “Later,” he panted, his forehead resting against hers. “Okay?” 

With a nod from Jessie, the couple turned off the television and slipped down from the couch, then made their way back to Bonnie’s room, hand-in-hand. 

“I liked that life, Buzz, in the dream,” she remarked wistfully, as they traveled down the hall. 

“I know,” he said, lifting her hand to kiss it.

“I love our Spanish dancin’, but d’ya think maybe we could try waltzin’ sometime? It was awful romantic.”

“Sure.” Buzz paused thoughtfully. “Under one condition.” 

“What’s that?” 

“You have Dolly make you a dress like that. And a corset.”

“Deal! Wonder if she can figure how to make a suit for you, too,” the cowgirl pondered out loud, before turning to her boyfriend with a seductive smirk. “We hafta finish where that dream left off.” 

Woody was waiting for them when they entered Bonnie’s room. “Where have you been?” he scolded in a loud whisper. “It’s almost time for the family to get up!”

“Oh, don’t get your britches in a bunch… Pa,” Jessie retorted.

The cowboy stared, confused, as his sister and best friend walked away, completely in hysterics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this fic a while back, but having recently taken a trip across the country, I wanted to finish it while the western landscape was still fresh in my mind. I’m also a history nerd, with a particular interest in the late 1800s, so this little one-shot is a blending of two of the things I love most. ☺ And this is my first fic with the toys written as humans. I generally prefer them as toys, but in this instance, human AU was necessary (and so much fun to play with!). ;) It’s a really long one-shot, because I didn’t want to break it up.
> 
> Historical elements in this story were researched carefully, from my collection of photographic studies, reprinted catalogs and entertaining guides from the period. I purposely didn’t give Buzz and Jessie’s son an actual name, because there was too much pressure to pick something perfect! So imagine his given name — as well as the names of all the children — to be whatever you want. ;) However, I will admit I prefer Jessamine to Jessica as Jessie’s full name (if she had one, which I’ve never seen anything official about), because it sounds more old-fashioned, but that’s just me. Tin anniversary parties were a real thing, as was getting married in a practical dress that could be worn again, especially when you lived someplace rural like the west where a white silk wedding gown would have been an impractical luxury. Older dresses were often re-styled to suit current fashion — this story is set around 1900, with Jessie’s wedding dress having been made in the style of the mid-1890s. Kartoffelkopf is German for Potato Head. And one last thing — there’s a line hidden in here from one of my favorite classic novels, can you find it? ☺


	4. One Night

Woody was not over Bo.

Sure, most of the time he put on a good front, laughing and joking with the other toys; he even spent countless hours with Buzz and Jessie, paying no mind to their cuddling and couple-y closeness. But every so often, it hit him, and this was one of those nights. With Bonnie and her parents away for the weekend at a family wedding, the toys had some freedom; and Woody had wandered off into the living room, where he sat in the dark, alone, listening to mournful country songs on the stereo.

Buzz and Jessie knew where the cowboy was going before he even left. They had seen it on his face, and couldn’t help but remember the dark day it was the anniversary of: the yard sale that had taken Bo away. As much as they were concerned about their hurting friend, the couple was conflicted, hoping to steal away to the master bedroom – with its television and plush bed – for their own little stay-cation.

Nearby, Dolly stood observant, both of Buzz and Jessie’s dilemma and Woody’s anguish. Being close friends with Jessie, she knew how the cowgirl and space ranger relished their rare chances to be completely alone together. As she watched the pair talking, trying to decide what to do, she approached them.

“Go, you two, don’t ruin your night. You don’t get many like this. I’ll go talk to Woody, see if I can help.” 

Jessie clasped her hands anxiously. “You sure? We can check on him, and maybe still have some time to ourselves.”

“Yes. GO,” Dolly insisted. “I’ve lived under the same roof with you for two years now; I’ve seen how he gets in these moods. He’ll be rehashing everything to you all night if you open up that can of worms. Enjoy yourselves,” she added with a wink.

“Thanks, Dolly!” the cowgirl hugged her friend. “We owe ya.” 

As Buzz and Jessie proceeded down the hall to Bonnie’s parents’ room, Dolly headed to the living room to try and console Woody. She had gotten to know the cowboy fairly well over the past couple years, sharing leadership duties with him and just generally spending time together as friends. The ragdoll had only ever admitted to Jessie that she might have a crush on him, but she didn’t let it consume her thoughts. She knew he was still pining for a lost love, which she assumed was the issue tonight.

“Hey, cowboy,” she called out, as she walked toward the sofa where Woody sat – knees drawn to his chest, much like his sister did in times of despair – staring blankly ahead.

“Hey,” he acknowledged his friend’s greeting weakly, forcing a half-hearted smile.

With some effort, Dolly scaled the front of the sofa and sat down beside him. “You wanna talk about it?” There was no answer. “About _her_?”

Woody turned his head sharply at the word _‘her,’_ surprised by ragdoll’s boldness. “Not really.”

“It might help.”

The cowboy sat quietly for a moment, before his emotions came spilling out. Buzz and Jessie had listened to his woes many times in the past three years, but he’d only made passing remarks about Bo to Dolly; now he talked more openly and frankly to her about his feelings. The ragdoll listened patiently, waiting for a break in his monologue to speak.

“It’s been a long time, Woody. Don’t you think it’s time you put this behind you? Move forward?”

He laughed bitterly. “Now you sound like Buzz and Jessie.”

“Are you ever going to listen to any of us?”

“Might as well. Someone like her, she has to have found someone else by now. She probably doesn’t even remember me.” 

“I’m sure she remembers you, cowboy.” Dolly steeled her nerves before she continued. “How could she not? You’re a real catch.” Woody cracked a faint smile at the compliment, and Dolly rested her hand on his in a gesture of comfort. “Look, shutting down like this doesn’t accomplish anything. You’ve gotta open your heart up for someone else to come into your life.” 

The cowboy exhaled heavily, then met his friend’s earnest gaze. “I know I do. But how?”

* * *

Buzz and Jessie returned to Bonnie’s room the following morning, and noticed immediately that Woody and Dolly were nowhere to be seen. They looked at each other, puzzled.

“Maybe I should go find Woody, and see if he’s doing any better,” Buzz suggested.

“Good idea,” concurred Jessie. “I wanna track down Dolly, and see how she managed, too.”

With a quick kiss the couple went their separate ways, back out into the hallway and in search of their friends.

When Jessie found Dolly huddled on the sofa, she couldn’t quite read the expression on the ragdoll’s face. Nevertheless, she hopped up to join her friend.

“Thanks again for coverin’ for us last night! Didja get him to snap out of it?”

“Sorta,” Dolly replied flatly. 

“Oh, good.” Jessie was confused by the change in her friend’s demeanor; usually she was cheerful and quick to tease the cowgirl after a date night. “So, whatcha still doin’ out here?”

The ragdoll was silent for a moment, then responded timidly. “We – uh – spent the night together.”

“Oh, so you sat up with him? That was sweet of ya.”

“No, not really.” 

Dolly stared intently at the cowgirl, willing her to figure out what she was hinting at without being forced to spell it out. Finally, Jessie’s eyes widened as she realized what her friend was implying.

“You DIDN’T! Dolly! You – and Woody – b-but how – ”

“Shhhhhh!” the ragdoll lunged at Jessie, covering her mouth with her little felt hand. “You think I want everyone to find out?”

Jessie yanked Dolly’s hand from her face and spoke as softly as she could in her agitated state. “But he’s still hung up on Bo!”

“Yeahhh, I gathered.”

“And you still – ”

“It just sort of happened, okay?” she interrupted. “We were… lonely.”

“Is that whatcha call it these days?” the cowgirl snapped sarcastically.

“Come on, Jessie, didn’t you and Buzz ever have a moment of weakness, in all those years?”

“Yeah, but – not quite _that_ far – well, Buzz is a gentleman – hold on, this ain’t about Buzz’n me!”

Dolly slumped and sighed deeply. “I feel so stupid.”

Jessie slid closer to her friend and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t judge. I know you like Woody, and things are complicated – heck, he’s complicated. Didja talk to him about it… after?”

“No, he ran off. And there’s no point. It was a mistake, plain and simple.”

The cowgirl’s face twisted in anger. “He ran off? Ohhh I’m gonna tan his hide!” Before Dolly could stop her, Jessie leapt from the sofa and darted out of the living room, on a mission to hunt down her brother.

“Jessie, wait! Stop!” Dolly cried desperately, following as quickly as her little legs would allow. “Ohhh, this is bad.”

* * *

It took Buzz a while to locate Woody, but his search eventually led him to the back porch, where he finally discovered his friend sitting on the steps leading down to the yard. The space ranger slipped through the pet door and sat down next to him. 

“You gotta snap out of this, Sheriff. The other toys depend on you. Didn’t Dolly help at all?”

“Funny you should mention Dolly,” Woody muttered.

“Why?”

“Well, she came to try to comfort me last night, and one thing led to another, and…”

Buzz looked at his friend, perplexed. “Led where?”

“We slept together.”

“You fell asleep on the couch? Were you watching a movie?”

“No. We didn’t actually… sleep.”

Buzz paused. “Then I don’t understand – ”

“Are you serious, Buzz?” he cut his friend off impatiently. “Sex. SEX! You know, that thing you and Jessie do all the time?” After his outburst, Woody buried his face in his hands, humiliated. 

“Oh boy,” Buzz took a deep breath in an attempt to process what he had just heard. “Blast, Woody! You’re not even dating her! You’re just friends! That’s not like you at all.”

“I know, I know. I made a mess of things. I don’t have feelings for her – not like that. And to make matters worse, I just ran off.”

Before the two men could further their discussion, a blur of red and denim and cowhide came flying through the pet door, hitting its mark. Jessie and Woody tumbled down the porch stairs, and the cowgirl landed on top of her brother and pinned him to the ground.

“Woody, what were you thinking?” she shouted. “You _weren’t_ thinking, that’s the problem!” Dolly’s wide face peered through the pet door as Jessie released Woody from her grasp. “You’re both gonna sit down and talk this out right now.”

“No, that’s okay,” the ragdoll quickly protested. She tried to duck back into the house while Woody attempted to bolt in the opposite direction. 

“NO.” Jessie threw her friend a stern glare and seized her retreating brother by the belt loop. “Take it from folks who dragged relationship stuff out for way too long… you’re discussing this NOW. I know Buzz and I must’ve been a pain in the rear all those years, and I’m not puttin’ up with it from you two!”

With a defeated sigh, Dolly hoisted herself through the pet door and Woody shuffled back up the stairs. Jessie motioned for them to sit on the top step, side by side, and they obeyed. The cowgirl then stood facing them, her arms folded defiantly, with Buzz next to her as backup.

“Do either of ya have anything to say for yourselves?”

The interrogated toys studied their feet nervously and said nothing.

“Speak up.”

Still, Jessie’s demands were met with silence.

The cowgirl groaned, exasperated. “Woody, are you still in love with Bo?”

Her brother mumbled a weak “yes.”

“So then what in tarnation were you thinking?”

Woody shrugged.

“Do you really wanna mess with a good friend’s feelings? C’mon Woody, you’re better than that!” Jessie then shifted her focus to her friend. “And Dolly, you’re not off the hook either, you coulda slapped him!”

As the cowgirl’s arms flailed wildly in her aggravation, Buzz stood sentry, calm and strong, yet secretly admiring his girl’s ability to lay down the law.

“Now, you two are in charge around here, and you hafta figure out how to get past this and work together. I won’t be havin’ you all awkward and weird all the time. And if you can’t work this out, Buzz’n I are takin’ over leadership!”

Woody and Dolly raised their heads and gaped at Jessie, shocked by her threat, and the cowgirl resumed her lecture.

“Woody, I know how much you loved Bo, and still do. Heck, we all miss her – she was my best friend. But I’m sure she’s moved on, and it’s time you did, too. Dolly, I know you like him – right now I have NO idea why – but jus’ give him some time, ‘k? Jus’ get back to being friends.”

Dolly’s jaw dropped in horror as Jessie exposed the ragdoll’s crush on Woody, and the cowgirl rolled her eyes. “Well, don’tcha think it’s a little too late to hide that now? I think he knows.”

Seeing the traumatized countenances of her friend and brother, Jessie softened. “Look, y’all are important to me.” She nodded to Buzz. “To both of us. We just want ya to be happy. Talk things out. We’ll go in the kitchen and give ya some privacy.” 

Buzz held the pet door open while Jessie crawled back inside, then followed behind her. After what seemed like an eternity to the waiting couple, Woody and Dolly peeked in the pet door. 

The cowboy cleared his throat. “Can we come in?”

Jessie lifted the rubber flap, while Buzz offered their friends assistance. “You guys good?” the cowgirl questioned cautiously, once they were all standing on the tile floor.

“Yeah, we’ll be okay.” Dolly turned to Woody, and they both smiled. 

“That’s more like it!” Jessie exclaimed, squeezing them both in a tight embrace. “And I promise, this’ll stay between us. None’a the others will ever know a thing.” 

The moment the four toys entered Bonnie’s room, everybody took notice. The group’s authority figures had been missing for hours, and the remaining toys were gathered in front of the closet. 

“There you are!” Mr. Potato Head yelled, as soon as they crossed the threshold. “The peas stole my hat and won’t come out! Where have you been?!?”

Jessie glanced at her three companions, then spoke. “Well, uh, Buzz ‘n I had a fight – it was silly, really – and Woody ‘n Dolly were helpin’ us work things out. Everythin’s great now, though,” she said, wrapping her arms around Buzz’s neck affectionately. The space ranger willingly played along, resting his hands on her waist and giving her a quick kiss. 

“Ugh, we don’t need a show, we’ll take your word for it,” Potato Head grumbled. “Just help me get my hat back from those little hooligans!” 

Dolly grinned at her friend with gratitude, and Jessie winked. All was back to normal amongst Bonnie’s toys – well, as normal as it ever could be.

* * *

Later that night, Buzz and Jessie lay snuggled on Bonnie’s parents’ spacious bed, watching television. The space ranger flipped channels, looking for a new program, until his cowgirl broke their relaxed silence.

“All that craziness today, with Woody and Dolly – d’ya think that’s what Woody and Bo felt like dealing with us, back at Andy’s?”

“I’m afraid we were much worse,” Buzz chuckled. “We dragged things out for ten years. At least their drama only lasted for one day – I hope.” 

“Now we’re the ones who hafta fix everyone’s romantic problems,” Jessie giggled. “Who made us the experts, anyway? I reckon we must look like we know what we’re doin’.”

Buzz set down the remote, unable to find any worthwhile shows or movies. He rolled to his side, drew his girl towards him, and brought her lips to his in a slow, sensual kiss. “Oh, I think we do,” he breathed, when they finally pulled apart.

Jessie smirked. “But it don’t hurt to practice,” she purred, as he closed the distance between them once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So lately my bestie and I have been ridiculously amused by angsty country songs and the thought of Woody listening to them, brooding over Bo. I don’t know why we find it so funny – we do feel bad for him, and wish she was still around. But anyway, inspiration for this fic came from the song ‘Neon Light’ by Blake Shelton… and somehow in our twisted minds, the “blonde at the bar” turned into Dolly. XD I’m not really a Woody/Dolly shipper – I’m Buzz/Jessie and Woody/Bo canon all the way – but for the purposes of this story idea, there’s no one else who would work. So, if you don’t like Woody/Dolly, don’t read and please don’t hate; it’s not something you’re gonna see often from me at all. Also, be advised the subject matter might be questionable to some – but I have my own opinions of what toys are capable of. ;) Try not to take any of it too seriously, it was just written for fun. ☺


	5. Romantic Comedy

Mr. Pricklepants sat on the sill of Bonnie’s open bedroom window. It was early May, and the hedgehog was admiring the beauty of the season. 

_“In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,”_ he quoted Tennyson, as he took in the vibrant green foliage, blossoming flowers, and pairs of birds flitting about the trees to their nests. A soft breeze brushed across his face, and he closed his eyes, then opened them abruptly when he was struck by what he believed to be a brilliant idea.

“That’s it! My next theatrical extravaganza shall be my own original work, an entirely new romantic comedy.” Pricklepants brought a little plush paw up to his mouth thoughtfully. “But where to find a theme for my masterpiece?”

He surveyed the room, looking at the toys that were paired up in various locations. His eyes first fell on Rex and Trixie, who were playing a video game on Bonnie’s laptop. The hedgehog shook his head. “More friends than love interests. Not enough material there.”

Next he spotted Mr. Potato Head wrestling with his alien children in the adjacent corner, the Missus watching. “An exemplary family,” he pondered, until a shriek from the female spud disturbed his thoughts.

“What are you DOING? You’ll HURT them!” she shouted, urging her husband to put down one of the little green men, who he was holding upside down.

“We’re having fun. Don’t be so uptight!” he snapped at his wife. 

“Perhaps not,” Pricklepants sighed. Just then his eyes were drawn to the opposite corner, where Buzz and Jessie sat in the beanbag chair near the window, the cowgirl on the space ranger’s lap, flipping through a book together. The hedgehog’s face lit up. He observed for a moment, watching Buzz turn the pages and Jessie kiss her boyfriend tenderly on the cheek then rest her head against his, as they continued to read.

"Young love at its finest!” he squealed. “Perfect!”

* * *

“Buzz, Jessie! Just the couple I was looking for! May I speak with you for a moment?” Pricklepants noticed the slightly perturbed look on Jessie’s face as he approached. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Uh, no, not really,” Buzz replied, trying to be polite. The space ranger was instantly elbowed by his girlfriend, who was afraid they’d be roped into starring in the thespian’s latest production. “Is there something we can help you with?”

The hedgehog situated himself in front of them on the beanbag. “Indeed there is. I am writing a new play – a romantic comedy – in celebration of spring, and I need some inspiration. I don’t believe you ever told me the tale of your courtship.”

“Court-what?” asked Jessie.

“Courtship. You know, how Buzz became your beau.”

The cowgirl remained confused. “Bo? But—”

“Not Bo Peep, Jessie… beau, meaning boyfriend,” Buzz clarified. “Like how we became us.”

“Ohhhh, okay.” She didn’t mind talking about that with their friend. “Whadd’ya wanna know?”

“Why, everything! By the time I met you, you were already established. You seem so different, and I find that fascinating. Opposites attract, you know.”

“We’re actually not that different,” Jessie stated. “Sure we come from different toy lines, but we have a lot in common.” 

“We do,” Buzz agreed. “In fact, I fell for Jessie the moment I saw her ride down Andy’s — our old owner’s — Matchbox car track. That was something I would do,” he smirked. 

“’Cause you’re a showoff,” Jessie teased. “But I think ya noticed me before then, Mister ‘Yarnful-of Hair.’”

“Love at first sight — fabulous! Then, how did you woo your lady love, Buzz?”

“Well, heh, I really didn’t,” Buzz chuckled. “I kind of failed at it miserably.” 

“We were friends for ten years before either of us got up the gumption to admit how we felt about each other,” explained Jessie. 

"Ah, long-time friends turned lovers,” Pricklepants nodded in understanding. “It's a classic romantic comedy plot device. True love is right in front of you for years and you just don't know it. Oftentimes, the man is a commitmentphobe.”

“Oh, that wasn’t it,” Jessie was quick to set the record straight. “Buzz was just shy.”

“She’s right, Pricklepants,” added Buzz. “If anything, I was the complete opposite. I was more afraid of doing something wrong and losing Jessie than committing to her.”

“An’ when he didn’t make a move, then I didn’t know if he was really interested. We jus’ kept goin’ back and forth, not knowin’ what to think. It was a mess!” The couple shared a smile, amused by their prior insecurities.

“Misunderstandings, also quite typical.” The hedgehog leaned forward and spoke with an air of anticipation. “Was there a dramatic moment where nearly all hope seemed lost?”

“Well, yeah, right before we came here,” Jessie answered. “The first was when I thought Buzz was crushed by a TV, when we were escapin’ from Sunnyside. He had saved me from the same TV. I knew then that I loved him.” 

“And at the dump… our close call in the incinerator woke me up.” Buzz rested his hand on Jessie’s. “The thought of her never knowing I loved her was more terrifying than the flames.” 

“Absolutely. Misfortune frequently brings lovers together.”

The space ranger and cowgirl met each other’s gaze — love shining in their eyes at the recollection of such a pivotal moment in their relationship — before Jessie spoke. “We knew right then and there how we’d felt all along, and we weren’t afraid to admit it, not even in front of all our friends at the dump.”

“Yes, yes, love isn't true unless it's professed in front of a group of people — the bigger the better. Oh, this is just what I was looking for!” He clapped his paws together in glee. “Now if you’ll pardon me, I must go get my journal and begin writing!”

* * *

Later that day, Mr. Pricklepants sat, tiny notebook and pencil in hand, struggling to complete his script. While he had noted everything Buzz and Jessie had told him and decided upon a plot, a bad case of writer’s block was preventing him from filling in the necessary dialogue and interaction to make the story compelling. 

The hedgehog saw the couple slip out of the room and head down the hall. He knew that the only way he was going to be able to complete his work was by consulting with his muses. 

In the living room, Buzz used the television remote to turn on the latin music channel. Being a Friday evening, the Anderson family had left for dinner and a movie, and the space ranger and cowgirl had planned a date night. As soon as he found a suitable Spanish beat, Buzz extended a hand to his girl.

“Senorita?”

Jessie giggled. “Si, mi amor.”

The couple twirled across the hardwood floor, performing for no one, their eyes focused only on each other. Believing themselves to be alone — the rest of Bonnie’s toys being aware and respectful of their plans — they were surprised when they crashed hard into the plush hedgehog who had suddenly materialized in their path. 

Each taking a paw, Buzz and Jessie helped him to his feet. 

“Pricklepants! Are you okay? What’re ya doin’ out here?” Jessie questioned.

“Oh, nothing, nothing, I’m fine.” He dusted himself off and retrieved his journal and pencil from the floor. “Please, go back to what you were doing, don’t mind me.”

“We were sort of on a date,” Buzz remarked flatly. 

“Of course, of course. You won’t even know I’m here.” The hedgehog shooed them away and made himself comfortable sitting against the wall, notebook and pencil in hand. 

Buzz and Jessie looked at each other and shrugged; they’d danced in front of others before. The music picked up tempo and they resumed their motions, but this time they tripped over their feet, unnerved by the little eyes fixed on their every move. 

“Why don’t we watch a movie instead?” Buzz retrieved the remote from the shelf where he had left it, and he and Jessie hopped up onto the sofa. No sooner had they snuggled down against the cushions, than the space ranger noticed a tiny red feather peeking up over the edge. 

Buzz tapped Jessie on the arm, and the cowgirl raised her head from her boyfriend’s shoulder and glanced in the direction he was pointing. They exchanged a look of aggravation, then switched off the television and silently slid down from the couch. As they headed down the hallway toward the privacy of the master bedroom, they heard the pitter-patter of plush feet following a few yards behind them. At the doorway, Buzz ushered Jessie in first with a gentle hand on the small of her back, then turned to face the hedgehog who was close on their heels. 

“We’ve got this, Pricklepants,” Buzz addressed him sternly. “Thanks.”

The bedroom door shut with a slam, and the sound of the television inside made any further character studies impossible. With a sigh, the plush playwright shuffled back to Bonnie’s room, to continue his work.

* * *

First thing Saturday morning, Bonnie bid her toys goodbye and left with her parents to spend the day at a Spring Festival in the city. Faced with a day of freedom, the toys dispersed to their own pursuits.

Buzz and Jessie stood by the doorway, trying to settle on what they wanted to do. As they discussed the possibilities of attempting another movie, going outside, or even asking Woody if he wanted to join them for a board game, little did they know Mr. Pricklepants was still monitoring them from afar. Thinking no one was mindful of their actions in their secluded corner, Buzz rested his hands on Jessie’s waist, and she playfully traced the buttons on his chest with her finger, then leaned in for a quick, sweet kiss. 

“Ah, true love,” the spying hedgehog remarked wistfully, as he watched the couple from across the room. “Never was there a match of such perfection.”

“EXCUSE me?” Mrs. Potatohead screeched, insulted.

“Life ain’t a movie, Pants,” her husband sneered. “They’re no better than the rest of us.”

Ignoring the spud’s contempt, Pricklepants scurried to gather his tiny notebook and pencil. “They’re going to do something sublimely romantic, and I wouldn’t want to miss it!”

The space ranger and his cowgirl walked hand-in-hand down the hallway to the kitchen, having agreed upon a stroll outside in the Andersons' garden. Meanwhile, the hedgehog crept stealthily after them, and as Buzz lifted the cat flap for Jessie to step outside, Pricklepants struggled his way up to the kitchen countertop and onto the windowsill.

Puffy clouds floated in the sky as the couple meandered across the dappled grass and amongst the blooming lilacs and rose bushes that edged the backyard, happily talking and laughing and simply enjoying some time alone and out of the house. Under the intoxicating canopy of fragrant blossoms, Jessie felt a tug on her hand as her boyfriend stopped, then pulled her towards him.

“C’mere cowgirl.”

Jessie willingly obeyed, and snaked her arms around Buzz’s neck as their lips met in a slow, sensual kiss. The space ranger lifted his girlfriend in his strong arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as their kiss intensified.

After several minutes spent lost in each other, the cowgirl pulled away for air. Much to her chagrin, over her boyfriend’s shoulder, she saw that there was a brown furry form in the window, witnessing this intimate — and what they thought to be private — moment. 

“Tarnation, Buzz, he’s watchin’ us again!” she gasped, catching her breath.

“Who, Pricklepants?”

“Yes!” Jessie let her legs drop to the ground and smoothed out her chaps as she stood. “Ohhh, I’m gonna skin that little varmint for spyin’!” 

“Just try to ignore him, Jessie,” Buzz soothed, reaching a hand up to caress her face. “We can go further back into the garden—"  
“No, Buzz, it ain’t right! He has no business gettin’ in OUR business!” 

The space ranger exhaled sadly, knowing the mood had been effectively killed by their meddlesome friend. Suddenly, a raindrop bounced off a leaf above their heads, and splashed against his shoulder. Before he could even suggest to his girl that they should go inside, the skies opened up in an unexpected and quite heavy downpour.

Buzz and Jessie raced for the back door, using her hat to shield them from the storm as best they could. They leapt through the cat flap, hurried over to the stove, and reached for the dishtowel to begin drying off — only to jump in shock when Mr. Pricklepants dropped down in front of them without warning, notebook in hand.

“Ah! That was brilliant! Lovers caught in the rain — the stuff of epic romances!” He scribbled furiously as he spoke. “Now, go back outside — a kiss in the rain is featured in some of the finest cinematic love stories! Hurry, before the storm subsides, along with my inspiration!” He urged them along with a wave of his paw.

“We’re not going back outside, Pricklepants,” Buzz insisted. “It’s dangerous for toys to get wet—”

“Nonsense, kissing in the rain is romantic!”

Jessie lunged at the hedgehog. “It AIN’T romantic!”

“But it is,” he argued. 

“NO, it ain’t. You want me to dump a bucket’a water on _your_ head?” She leered over Pricklepants, but the smaller toy barely even flinched. 

Before Jessie’s temper could get the better of her, Buzz placed a calming hand on his girlfriend’s back and steered her toward the doorway. “Come on, Jessie. Let’s go.” 

The couple left the kitchen, and hoped that at last they would be alone; yet, as they entered the hall, their unwanted observer was still on their trail. 

“Ah, a softly-lit corridor.” The toy playwright mumbled narration as he jotted down more notes. “The ideal setting for a little romantic ambience.” 

“Oh for cryin’ out loud!” Jessie wailed, at her wit’s end. “We’re not looking for ambience, we’re tryin’ to get away from YOU!”

Unfazed by the cowgirl’s outburst, Pricklepants continued writing as Woody and Dolly approached from around the corner, coming from Bonnie’s room to investigate the altercation in the hall.

“What’s all the commotion?” the cowboy queried.

“Woody, he won’t leave us alone!” Jessie cried to her brother. “First, last night when we were on our date. Now, today!” 

The hedgehog continued to be oblivious to the trouble he was causing, and maintained his singular focus as he noted some more. “Seeking help from the sibling and quirky friend concerning matters of the heart, yes, this works nicely.”

“Hey!” Dolly exclaimed. “Quirky?”

Jessie threw her arms up in the air, in complete exasperation. “We’re not seeking help in — whatever it was you said! We jus’ want you to stop followin’ us around!”

Buzz took his girlfriend’s hand to steady her, and spoke further on their behalf. “Look, we’re flattered by the attention, but this is an invasion of privacy -”

“And creepy!” Jessie interrupted. “Enough is enough!”

Woody stepped in. “I think you’ve gotten plenty of, uh, ideas from Buzz and Jessie, Pricklepants. Would you really want someone sneaking around and watching everything you were doing?”

“I-I suppose I wouldn’t. I didn’t realize.” His face fell as he truly looked at his friends for the first time since his study began, and fully grasped how much of a nuisance he had been to the couple over the past twenty-four hours. “I offer my sincerest regrets for the discomfort and inconvenience I have caused you both. Can you ever forgive me?”

Jessie softened at their friend’s heartfelt apology. “Course we can — long as you don’t do it again,” she said with a smile.  “No hard feelings, Pricklepants,” Buzz concurred, offering a handshake in reconciliation.

Relieved by the forgiveness of his friends, the hedgehog beamed warmly. “Many thanks. I give you my most solemn pledge that I will do your love story justice.”

* * *

Two months later, a family waterpark weekend served as the perfect opportunity for Mr. Pricklepants and his alien ensemble to put on their new production. It told of a couple who pined for each other secretly for years, only to finally come together after some hilarious mishaps and a near-tragedy. Bonnie’s toys didn’t think too much about the storyline, but Andy’s former toys smirked at the realization of who the play was about.

After the curtain call, the thespian toy approached Buzz and Jessie cautiously, and stared up at them with wide, expectant eyes. “I hope the play met with your approval.”

Jessie nodded enthusiastically. “It was real nice!”

Buzz grinned in agreement. “We’re honored, Pricklepants, truly we are.”

The hedgehog’s face lit up with joy. “Oh, I’m so pleased you liked it!” he cheered, clasping his paws together eagerly. “Just wait for the sequel!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve had the notes for this fic written down ever since Toy Story of TERROR first aired. It was inspired, as many of my stories are, by a silly fangirl conversation; also by the thought of Pricklepants narrating all sorts of genres, besides horror. I imagine he does that quite a bit, if the toys happen to all be watching something together. ;) 
> 
> I’m not suggesting that Pixar used clichés in portraying Buzz and Jessie’s relationship. If anything, I had a difficult time finding enough clichés to use, because other than the “opposites attract” thing, and them being friends for so many years before confessing their love for each other, their story is somewhat unique… and I think that’s a testament to Pixar’s expert storytelling. 
> 
> Also, the scene of them kissing in the garden was inspired by an old favorite fanart: http://rain1940.deviantart.com/art/August-262931084. Although the picture depicts a nighttime setting, the pose itself was perfect for the moment I was writing, so I had to do it. ;)


	6. Family

“They’re here!”

Bonnie flung open the front door and flew across the yard to the gate, eager to greet the occupants of the minivan that had just pulled up in front of her house. The little girl bounced up and down impatiently, clutching Jessie tightly in her arms, as her aunt, uncle, and new cousin emerged from the vehicle.  
Mrs. Anderson walked up behind her daughter and unlatched the gate. “I’m so glad you’re here!” She approached the van and hugged her sister, then peeked in the backseat as her brother-in-law lifted their infant son from his carseat.

“Well, aren’t you a precious little man!” she cooed, and the six-month-old giggled and gurgled in response. Bonnie stood by her mother on tiptoes, trying to get a better look. 

The family returned inside to spend the day together, playing with the baby on the floor and taking turns holding and feeding him. While Bonnie was preoccupied with the real-live plaything, Jessie sat alone in the corner of the sofa, wide-eyed and watching. Although silent and still, the cowgirl was very much aware of the scene that was unfolding in front of her, and she observed it all thoughtfully. 

Following dinner, and with promises that they’d be seeing the Andersons again before they left town, the visiting relatives and their tired, crying little boy went to turn in for the night at a nearby motel. Exhausted from her busy day as well, Bonnie brought Jessie back into her room and placed her lovingly on her dollhouse bed, then dressed in her pajamas, climbed into bed herself, and turned out the light.

* * *

Once Bonnie’s room was quiet, Buzz got up from the miniature living room chair where his owner had seated him in front of the toy television and headed up the dollhouse stairs to find Jessie. At the doorway to his bedroom, the space ranger readied himself to be greeted with an enthusiastic hug, the couple having being apart for the entire day. He was shocked, however, to find his wife curled up forlornly on the bed, hugging her pillow and staring blankly at the wall. 

“Jessie?” He sat down next to her, and smoothed her hair. “What’s wrong? Did something happen today with Bonnie?”

The cowgirl didn’t immediately reply, and her husband stared down at her, his eyes full of concern, until she finally spoke. 

“Doesn’t it ever bother you, Buzz?” she choked out, still focused on the wall.

Puzzled by her vague question, the space ranger rubbed a hand gently across her shoulder. “Doesn’t what bother me?”

“Being just a toy.”

 _‘Oh, that.’_ he thought. It had been many years since his breakdown over discovering he wasn’t an actual space ranger, a time in his life he tried not to dwell upon. 

“It did, once.” He had told the cowgirl before of the incident at Sid’s, and he answered her honestly. “But it hasn’t for a while now, especially since I met you. What brought this up?”

Jessie finally turned her head to face her husband, and let the flood of emotions come pouring out. 

“Bonnie’s aunt and uncle. All day I had to watch them be a _family_ with their new baby boy. Ev’ryone was makin’ a fuss, and they looked so happy, and proud. They were talkin’ about who he looked like, and about their new house, and how perfect their life is with him an’ all.” She exhaled sadly. “We’ve known each other almost fifteen years, Buzz. I can’t help but want for us to have what they have — and it breaks my heart we can’t.” 

“We _do_ have that, Jessie,” Buzz soothed. “In a way. We’re married, and we have a house of our own — that’s more than a lot of toys get. And we could always adopt like the Potatoheads did. I can send word to Barbie and Ken, see if they have any preschool toys at Sunnyside that need a —”

“No, Buzz,” she interrupted. “I mean, not that it wouldn’t be great, but I want a child that’s OURS, like this little fella was THEIRS, ya know? Your eyes, my hair, your smile — someone that’s part of us. And we can never have that, cause we’re toys.” 

Buzz felt helpless. He was always trying to protect her, and to help her work through the pain that still surfaced occasionally from her troubled past, but the space ranger was at a loss in this instance. She was right. He leaned over and kissed his wife on the forehead, then got up and walked around to his side of the bed. Once he had laid down beside her, Buzz touched Jessie softly on the back to get her attention.

“C’mere.”

The cowgirl turned over and buried her face in her husband’s shoulder, sinking into his comforting arms. 

He pressed his cheek against the top of her head. “I’d like to have all that, too, Jessie; I can’t say it’s never crossed my mind. But I love the life we share. It’s better to be together, even if it has to be as toys, right?” She nodded feebly against him. “Just remember I love you. No matter what.”

* * *

_Buzz and Jessie lay cuddled on the living room sofa, laughing and talking about the movie they were watching, when Jessie let out a gasp._

_“Gimme your hand!” she exclaimed, grabbing her husband’s arm. She opened his palm and guided it onto her visibly pregnant stomach._

_The space ranger jumped and yanked his hand away at the sensation of movement. “Whoa! What is that, Jessie?”_

_“It’s jus’ Junior sayin’ hi,” she giggled. “Don’t be scared. He kicks when he hears your voice, ya know.”_

_“Really?” Buzz smiled, allowing his hand to rest on his wife’s round belly once again. “And why do you keep calling the baby a ‘he’?”_

_“Jus’ a gut feeling, I guess. We’ll find out soon enough.”_

Buzz bolted upright, his heart pounding. He’d had the dream again. The space ranger gazed at his wife, who was still sound asleep — and still as slender as ever. He laid back down and wrapped his arm around her, allowing his hand to rest on her flat stomach. 

The next day, as they sat playing a game, Jessie couldn’t help but notice that Buzz kept dozing off. In fact, he’d been doing that a lot lately — when it was just the two of them, when they were hanging out with Woody, it didn’t matter. He was always tired. 

“Buzz, are you okay?” she asked, worried.

“Huh?” he jerked awake and yawned. “Yeah, I’m fine, just didn’t sleep very well last night.”

“How come? You’ve never had trouble sleepin’ before.” 

“It’s nothing, Jessie, just insomnia.”

“It ain’t nothin.’ I know you.”

Buzz sighed. He knew the truth would upset his wife, and yet, he didn’t want to lie to her. “I’ve been having this dream, and I can’t get back to sleep after it.”

“What kind of dream?”

“That isn’t important.”

“Yes it is, or it wouldn’t be keepin’ ya up nights! Tell me, Buzz,” she pleaded.

His apologetic expression was all the answer she needed. 

“Am I pregnant in the dream?” questioned Jessie cautiously.

Buzz’s jaw dropped at her insight. “Yes! How did you know?”

“Because I’ve been having the same dream.” Jessie looked at Buzz imploringly. “Whaddya think that means?”

“I really don’t know. Maybe we should talk to Woody.” 

“What’s he gonna be able to do?”

“He communicates with Sunnyside; maybe he’s heard of something like this happening before. Or maybe, with Bo —”

“I s’pose you’re right.”

The couple restored their game to the shelf and went in search of their best friend and brother, with the hope that maybe, somehow, he had answers. It didn’t take them long to find him the hallway, on his way back from making his rounds through the house.

Buzz caught his attention. “Woody, can we talk to you? Alone?”

The cowboy could tell they had a serious matter to discuss. “Sure. You want to go someplace quiet?”

The trio headed down the hall to Bonnie’s parents’ room, where they figured they would be least likely to be disturbed, and shut the door behind them.

“What’s going on?” Woody inquired, anxious to know what was bothering his family.

The couple shared a steadying glance, then Buzz spoke. “Well, we’ve both been having the same recurring dream.”

“That’s not so bad!” the cowboy said in relief, glad to hear it wasn’t anything more serious. “Is it a nightmare? Flashbacks to the dump?”

“No, it’s not a _bad_ dream,” clarified Jessie. 

“Well then, what’s the problem?”

Buzz took a deep breath. “In the dream, Jessie’s… pregnant.”

Woody gawked at the couple in surprise. “Oh…”

“Does it mean somethin,’ Woody? Can toys — d’ya even know?”

The cowboy rubbed the back of his neck as he tried his best to jog his memory. “Not that I can ever recall hearing, Jess. But I can send a note to Sunnyside on Monday, and ask around —”

“Oh gosh no!” his sister interrupted. “Barbie’ll jump to conclusions and throw us a baby shower! We jus’ hoped you knew somethin’ is all.” 

“I wish I did. Bo and I — we talked about having a family, especially after the Potatoheads adopted. I always put it off, always told her I was too busy keeping track of everyone, maybe when Andy was older — then she was sold. She would have been happy with a whole flock of kids, and I couldn’t even give her one.”

Jessie rested a hand on her brother’s arm. “Aww, Woody, I’m sorry, we didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” the cowboy said, with a reassuring smile. “Things work out the way they’re supposed to.”

* * *

“Hi toys!”

In a blur of colorful clothing, Bonnie burst into her room and dropped a shopping bag on the bed, then hurried back down the hall to eat the dinner her family had brought home from Poultry Palace. As always, when faced with the possibility of a new toy, the room’s residents gathered with trepidation beside the bed. 

“Ohhh, that looked like a toy store bag!” Rex wailed. 

“Don’t worry,” Woody chuckled. “It’s a pretty small bag. I’ll go see what it is, and greet any new arrivals.”

The cowboy shimmied up the comforter and crossed to the center of the bed, where the bag lay. However, when he lifted the plastic handle and peered inside, Woody let out a small gasp. 

“Uh, Buzz, Jessie, you guys might want to come up here.” 

The Lightyears looked at each other, puzzled. Why would Woody summon only them? Nevertheless, they climbed up, and were shocked by what they saw.  
In a gift set was a tiny toddler doll, a boy of perhaps a year or two of age. It was perfectly scaled to be the couple’s child; and included with it was a crib, clothing, and an assortment of other accessories. Yet what was most surprising was its appearance — round face, big blue eyes, bright red hair that resembled the finest yarn, and a dimpled chin. Buzz and Jessie both stared at the new toy in happy disbelief; however, before they could free the child from its packaging, they heard Bonnie approaching. Reluctantly, they slid off the bed and resumed their inanimate positions. 

Buzz and Jessie were the first toys their owner sought out when she entered the room. She propped them up in a sitting position against her pillows, and spoke to them as she opened the box. 

“This is a present for you! Since you’re married, and live in the dollhouse now, you need a family. It was the last one — and he looks just like you!” Gently and carefully, Bonnie released the toddler boy from the plastic that encased him and cradled him in Jessie’s arms. 

“Bonnie! Popcorn’s ready!” Mrs. Anderson shouted from down the hall.

“Gotta go, we’re watching _Tangled!_ ” the little girl explained to her toys. 

As soon as the coast was clear, Buzz and Jessie gazed down at their offspring — who was indeed born of their love, even if not in the physical human manner — and back up at each other, elation spreading across their features. Their little son came to life for the first time, and in turn looked up at his parents and grinned. 

“Guys, can I come up?” Woody called cautiously from the floor below.

“Sure thing,” Jessie replied, her joy evident in her voice. “I think there’s someone up here who’d like to meetcha — _Uncle_ Woody.”

The cowboy joined his sister and brother-in-law, and beamed when he saw his new nephew. 

“Well, howdy, lil’ fella!” Woody reached out to take the toddler’s hand, and the child blew raspberries in his face. “Yep, you’re Jessie’s kid, alright,” he laughed. “Congrats, guys.”

* * *

A toy-sized cry emitted from what had become the nursery in the Lightyear dollhouse. Jessie wakened with a start, and rubbed her eyes. But before she could roll out of bed, Buzz roused next to her. 

“I’ve got him,” he mumbled sleepily. “You stay put.”  When the space ranger entered the adjacent room, his child’s whimpering stopped immediately. Buzz walked over to the diminutive crib, and the small boy reached up for his father, babbling cheerfully. Buzz smirked. 

“You know, I think this little guy has your fear of the dark,” the proud new father remarked, as he returned to the master bedroom carrying his son. “He quieted right down as soon as he saw the glow from my spacesuit. Tomorrow I’ll have to find something that glows in the dark to put in his room.” 

Buzz laid the toddler between them on the bed, and settled back down beneath the covers. He stretched his arm across both his son and his wife, in a protective and loving embrace. 

Jessie closed her eyes in blissful contentment. She knew in that moment, without any doubt, that this cherished little family truly was hers, and it was all she could ever want — toy or human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve had this story bouncing around in my mind for several years, and decided I’d finally try to get it out. I’ve always thought that out of everyone, Jessie would probably be the most likely to have moments where she wanted a human life, especially once she was with Buzz. So, this would be set sometime after my It’s a Toy’s World fics, because they’re married and living in their dollhouse. 
> 
> Writing this chapter doesn't mean that all my future fics will have them as parents. It's just something I wanted to explore.  The one issue I've had with giving them a toy child is that toys can't mature in the ways humans can.  I imagine, though, that while a toy cannot grow in height over time, they can grow in their knowledge and abilities.  Therefore, I made their son an age that is potentially capable of walking and talking already, so he wouldn't remain helpless forever.
> 
> And just like in my Old West chapter of this fic, I didn’t give Buzz and Jessie’s son a proper name. This was intentional, because names are very personal, and everyone has their own ideas about what they would name a child. For me, I’ll just always call him Junior and leave his given name up to the reader’s (and my own) imagination. ;)


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